Lawn & Garden Info & Techniques » archive for July, 2007

Planting a Tree

  • July 2nd, 2007

When planting a tree or shrub there are a few factors that can affect the outcome. The soil the tree is in play a major part. if it is too acidic, too compact, or there is not enough of it, the results can be less than favorable. So, I decided to post some simple instructions for planting a redbud tree.

Getting the right size of hole to dig.Sizing the Hole

A good rule of thumb for getting the proper size to dig the hole is to set the container holding the bush or tree on the ground and, with your shovel, draw a circle around the container that is about twice the size of the root ball (container).

As far as depth, I like digging the hole a little deeper then the root ball so that there is a goodFinished hole deal of loose soil around the entire root system. Loose soil is a key because the root system must have the ability to grow without having to push through tightly compacted soil.

Setting the Tree

Once I’ve gotten the hole dug, I mix some of the existing soil with an ‘organic mix’. The organic materials in the mix will continually breakdown and become nutritional down the road. Then I put enough of the mix into the hole to bring the top of the root ball up to ground level. Once this is completed, I set the plant into the hole and fill it in with the remainder of the mix that is left.

The last step is to deeply water the tree so the soil can settle and then mulch the new addition so the moisture will stay in the ground around the root system.